Enrollment
280
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Redford, MI
Vandenberg Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Vandenberg Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 263228006758
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Vandenberg Elementary School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 77% of Michigan schools.
- #3 of 8
- schools in Redford · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 14:1
- small classes for Michigan
- 74.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Vandenberg Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 77% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Vandenberg Elementary School ranks #3 of 8 schools in Redford, MI.
School address
District: South Redford School District · Michigan
NCES ID 263228006758 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
-20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
74.2%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+37% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Vandenberg Elementary School compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Vandenberg Elementary School
Vandenberg Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Redford, Michigan, enrolling 280 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14:1 puts it in the smaller third of Michigan schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 74.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 280 students, its enrollment sits close to the Michigan median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Against 445 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #224.
Its student body is predominantly African American (86% of enrollment) (diversity index 26/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 57.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding South Redford School District spends $16,196 per pupil, 20% above the Michigan average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Redford's public schools, it stands alongside Redford Service Learning Academy Campus (445 students): Vandenberg Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14:1 vs 55.6:1).
South Redford School District also operates Lee M Thurston High School (806 students) and John D Pierce Middle School (577 students) alongside Vandenberg Elementary School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Vandenberg Elementary School compares
Vandenberg Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14:1 | ▼ 20% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 74.2% | ▲ 37% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 280 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14:1
Leaner classes than 57% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
280
Bigger than 29% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
74.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 37% above the Michigan average of 54.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14:1
students per teacher
- 20% below state mean
Top 23% in Michigan - lower ratio than 77% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
57.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$16,196
per pupil, district-wide
- above Michigan avg of $13,507
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 85.7%
White 6.1%
Hispanic or Latino 4.6%
Two or More 2.5%
Asian 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: African American at 85.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 25.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 25.9, Vandenberg Elementary School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for South Redford School District, which includes Vandenberg Elementary School.
$16,196
Per student
+20%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-2%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 24.2%
State 63.1%
Federal 12.7%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Vandenberg Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lee M Thurston High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| John D Pierce Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fisher Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jane Addams Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Thomas Jefferson Elem School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Vandenberg Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 806
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 577
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 341
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 297
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 248
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar other schools in Redford
3 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Michigan, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~280 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Vandenberg Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Vandenberg Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- South Redford School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Vandenberg Elementary School
How many students attend Vandenberg Elementary School?
Vandenberg Elementary School has 280 students enrolled. It is a public school in Redford, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Vandenberg Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Vandenberg Elementary School is 14:1, which is 20% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 11% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Vandenberg Elementary School?
74.2% of students at Vandenberg Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Vandenberg Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Vandenberg Elementary School is African American at 85.7% of enrollment, in Redford, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Vandenberg Elementary School?
Vandenberg Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Vandenberg Elementary School rank among schools in Redford?
By Resource Investment Index, Vandenberg Elementary School ranks #3 of 8 schools in Redford, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Redford on the city page.
Is Vandenberg Elementary School a good school?
Vandenberg Elementary School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 77% of Michigan schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in South Redford School District?
Besides Vandenberg Elementary School, South Redford School District also operates Lee M Thurston High School (806 students), John D Pierce Middle School (577 students), and Fisher Elementary School (341 students). See the South Redford School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.